Sandy Spring Bank Trims Holdings in Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW)

Sandy Spring Bank lessened its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW) by 10.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,486 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 182 shares during the period. Sandy Spring Bank’s holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $110,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. FSA Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Edwards Lifesciences during the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 138.7% during the 3rd quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 530 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 308 shares during the period. Finally, Roble Belko & Company Inc purchased a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $46,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.46% of the company’s stock.

Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance

Shares of EW opened at $70.46 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $41.42 billion, a PE ratio of 10.11, a P/E/G ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 3.46, a quick ratio of 2.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $71.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $70.36. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1-year low of $58.93 and a 1-year high of $96.12.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The medical research company reported $0.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.55 by $0.04. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 72.93% and a return on equity of 19.40%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.45 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on EW. Citigroup upped their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $75.00 to $90.00 in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Wolfe Research downgraded Edwards Lifesciences from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Bank of America raised Edwards Lifesciences from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, December 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $79.95.

Insider Buying and Selling at Edwards Lifesciences

In other news, VP Daniel J. Lippis sold 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.76, for a total value of $34,380.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 23,189 shares in the company, valued at $1,594,475.64. This represents a 2.11 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 6,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.75, for a total value of $492,375.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 46,936 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,555,402. This trade represents a 12.16 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 51,303 shares of company stock worth $3,715,776. Insiders own 1.29% of the company’s stock.

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names.